The Beltane Lover

At Beltane, a lover comes. She knows this, as surely as she knows the moon will rise and spring rain will fall. She has woven the Beltane garland and placed it on the door, fragrant with rose, honeysuckle, and jasmine. She has glimpsed her lover from time to time in the dark mirror of the lake at night ... dark of hair, and tall, with a serious face.

She knows they will come as Beltane approaches and stay for a moon cycle, as they are called to do. They will spend less time talking than touching. Their will be the communion of two bodies entwined as one for a moon and a day. They may choose to be handfasted, but even if they do, she will always be free to take another lover, at another time. If they choose to be true, only each to the other, then this will be decided as the moon begins to wane; and there will be no guilt in the decision to remain free unto themselves, and yet close to each other. She knows that love is truest when it comes freely, and that faithfulness is only needed when each requires that singularity.

At times she has, and at others, she has not. But she knows the lover will come, so she prepares the mead made with honey and herbs. She makes the love cakes they will feed to each other. She has sewn the red dress she will wear as the Beltane Maid. And she looks forward to the day she glances through the window and sees them coming towards her, and hears the knock at her door, and knows that for a time, she will be seen in her wild and unbridled desire for pleasure, to be held, to be known, to be tasted.

Honeymoon. Time of romance. A lover. Sensual pleasure. Freedom to choose a lover, and to let them go if you desire.

Feeling that lovers are no longer yours to have. A relationship that has lost its sensual bliss and sense of adventure and freedom. A need to rekindle your own physical sensuality and to bring pleasure and self-nurture back into your life. Guilt around uncommitted relationships. Feelings of shame around having sex, especially with more than one partner. Conditioning that has led to guilt or shame, especially around the female body and female pleasure.